Fundraisers are run for the benefit of worthwhile groups, so it seems only natural that there should be a sense of responsibility and philanthropy attached to them. More and more these days what is responsible and philanthropic is to save the world we live in by practicing green-living and working.
Your group can come on board with green fundraising by holding a fundraising collection campaign for recyclables such as bottles and cans or printer cartridges (Note: Fundraisers for ink cartridges are not as popular as they used to be. It might be best to team up with a local office supply store for this.). But regardless of what your group is selling or collecting, your campaign can be more environmentally conscious simply by reducing the amount of waste involved.
Marketing and advertising fundraisers often still involve a large amount of paper-based informational resources, such as letters, flyers, brochures, and order forms. While the information given through these items is valuable, a large majority will probably end up in a landfill, muddying the environment and wasting valuable resources. But by incorporating a few (or all) of the following tips, your group can run a much more environmentally friendly campaign.
To-Do List for a More Responsible Fundraising Campaign:
Cut down or eliminate paper-based flyers and brochures – you may be able to use fewer by posting on public boards and not distributing to every individual; you can also drastically reduce wasted materials by only distributing to interested, participating members (many know they’ll never sell right from the start)
Fundraise online – online fundraising companies are offering free web pages for your fundraiser you can use to collect donations. You can – and should – also set up your own website as part of your allover fundraising strategy. Selling at online auctions or adding an online magazine fundraiser to your fundraising efforts are other profitable green options.
Use recycled and recyclable materials – for signs and flyers. It may also be worthwhile to ask local copy shops or print shops for paper and cardboard remnants that would be discarded anyway.
Utilize local media resources for marketing – newspapers, community websites, and local cable access channels have wide outreach, and since they are being printed or televised anyway, your group will not add more paper waste advertising your event to the same audience. This includes adding your marketing to existing online and paper-based newsletters sponsored by schools and community groups. Marketing this way is a low-cost or NO-cost solution for your financially needy group.
Build an e-mail list – then electronically inform interested parties of your ongoing fundraisers and events. Collect e-mail addresses at fundraising events and through your website. Assure your supporters that their e-mail addresses won’t be shared with anyone and that you won’t spam them.
No doubt your group could probably add to this list once you’ve instilled a sense of savings and environmental responsibility into your campaign. Thinking cleaner and greener is a better way to run your fundraiser from an environmental aspect, and often you will find that greener fundraising is better for your fiscal bottom-line as well!
